Stratford city administrator resigns amid complaints

Former administrator is asked to return to city job

STRATFORD - Stratford City Administrator Don Nicholson resigned Monday morning in the midst of complaints about his job performance, Mayor David Brown said Tuesday.

In a 3-2 decision Thursday night, the city council decided to ask Nicholson to resign after less than two years on the job, Brown said.

"We had some people who thought he wasn't the guy for the job," Brown said.

Nicholson took over the city administrator position in March 2001 after former city administrator Ric Walton left to go to Fritch. A native of Clayton, N.M., Nicholson remained in his hometown and commuted to Stratford.

Apparently, grumblings within the city offices led to his resignation, Brown said. Complaints about his leadership within the last six months reached the city council, Brown said.

Nicholson could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

The mayor said the city council Monday hired Wayland Brown, a former Stratford city administrator, on a six-month probationary period.

After that time, the council will re-evaluate the position and go from there, David Brown said.

Wayland Brown said he worked as Stratford city administrator from 1983 to 1991 and was elected as a Sherman County commissioner for eight years.

He then went into retirement for four years, only to be asked by the city council last week to return to the city.

"Most people enjoy retirement more than I do," he said.

He said he does not know what happened during Nicholson's tenure to cause his leaving. He hasn't heard anything negative his first couple of days on the job.

He admitted it might be hard going for a little while.

"It's going to be a little rough, there's so many things going on," he said.